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If others depend on you for financial support, part of your financial plan should include how you will provide for them in the event of your death. Don’t put it off. The longer you wait will cost you more, much more if you have a health issue between now and then. Even worse – you never get around to it and everyone says what a shame at the funeral. Purchasing a life insurance policy is a safety net that ensures your loved one’s future financial obligations are met, covering items such as funeral costs, outstanding debt, estate taxes and everyday living expenses.

If you are married, it’s important for both spouses to have a life insurance policy. If both people bring in an income, a death can be a difficult financial loss. Also, if a stay-at-home parent should pass away, expenses such as childcare and other domestic items can create financial hardship, too.

There are two basic types of life insurance: term life insurance and permanent life insurance. The type of life insurance policy that best suits you will depend on your unique needs. To help you decide, we’ve covered the basics.

Option #1: Term Life Insurance

Just as its name implies, term life insurance covers you for a specific period of time, or term, that you choose. Since it offers a death benefit but no cash value, term life insurance is an inexpensive way to protect your beneficiaries for a specified period of time.
It is ideal for those who have a temporary need for life insurance protection, for those who need a large amount of insurance protection but have limited cash or for those with specific business needs, such as additional coverage for a key employee.
Renewal term life insurance can be renewed at the end of the term, at the option of the policyholder and without evidence of insurability, for a limited number of successive terms. It can also be converted, or exchanged for a permanent insurance policy, without evidence of insurability down the road.
With term life insurance, once the term expires, your coverage ceases and the policy has no further value. It’s important to note that rates generally increase along with the insured’s age.
Option #2: Whole Life Insurance

Permanent life insurance is any form of life insurance other than term. Examples are whole life, universal life and variable life. These policies combine term life insurance with a long-term, tax-sheltered savings plan.
Whole life is the most basic type of permanent life insurance. It provides coverage that lasts a lifetime and also builds up a cash value that you can borrow against, withdraw or use to pay future premiums.
A life insurance policy with a cash value is ideal for those who have a lifetime need for insurance protection, prefer stable premiums over the life of the policy, want a policy that allows them to build tax-deferred values, and value the high degree of coverage the policy affords. While rates for a whole life insurance policy remain stable over the life of the policy, premiums are initially more costly than for term insurance.
Regardless of whether you choose a term or permanent life insurance policy, both can afford protection and peace of mind knowing you have the coverage when you need it most. Call us today at 612.460.7796 to learn more.

How much Life Insurance do I Need?
Good question! To find the right amount of coverage, it’s important to weigh your dependents’ current lifestyle and spending needs against their future sources of income and assets. Based on some basic financial information, such as your current annual gross salary, the number of years until retirement, and your short-term and long-term expenses, we can help you figure out how much your family will need to replace this lost income over this length of time should something happen to you.

Even if you already have life insurance through your employer, you may be underinsured. If you’d like the security of knowing that you have enough life insurance coverage in place, we can work with you to ensure that there aren’t any gaps in your current coverage. Don’t Wait! 612.460.7796

Everyone knows – especially smokers – that cigarettes are expensive. Below is an info graphic showing the cost of life insurance for smokers vs. non smokers. Smokers die 10 years earlier and may really have a need life insurance.

Are you considered a smoker?

In the life insurance world, you’re considered a smoker if you answer “yes” to the smoking question on your insurance application. If you’re asked if you’ve used tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco, within a specified time frame – and you have – your answer should be yes. If you enjoy a good cigar from time to time or smoke just two cigarettes per year, you are considered a smoker. Occasional cigarette smokers and just a cigar once in a while are still considered smokers.

Are E cigarettes or” vaping” considered smoking?

National (life) underwriters , say as long as there is nicotine delivery, they’re going to keep the same stance, There is only one major life carrier that doesn’t – Prudential will allow nonsmoker rates for e-cigarette use.

There is still a lot of discussion and research going on in regards to E cigarettes and impact on health isn’t totally clear. However, it’s still an addiction and a cost. For that reason alone it doesn’t make much sense. Regardless of what E cig manufacturers and outlets biased and counter arguments are – there doesn’t seem to many positive benefits.

If you’re in excellent health and haven’t smoked in five years because that reduces your chances of dying sooner. Being just “normally healthy” requires that you haven’t used nicotine in the past three years and still gets you lower premiums. A standard rate requires that you have not used nicotine within the past year.

If you’d like to get a life insurance quote – click the button below and quickly fill out the form below to view policies & rates from the nations top Life Insurance providers or call 612.460.7796 and speak with a life insurance specialist.

Staying fit during Winter months can be a challenge. However, your fitness is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your health, longevity and overall mood. Exercise has been proven to alleviate symptoms of depression, boost your immune system and can even help curb an excessive appetite. Weight training and yoga are great for your body, but you need to include cardiovascular workouts into your exercise routine to keep your heart healthy.

There are several different activities you can choose from to raise your heart rate sufficiently. Below are the ten best exercises you can engage in.

Walking:

Walking in a mall is a great way to stay fit and warm. Average calories burned: 360/hour when walking at 4.25 miles per hour. Walking a half an hour a day is probably the healthiest activity you can choose.

Walking is an awesome way for people to begin their journey into cardiovascular fitness. Some say it’s the best thing you can do. When the weather outside is okay, it can be extremely enjoyable to put on your headphones and take a stroll through your neighborhood. Listen to podcasts and books on tape and the time will fly.

For many beginners, walking at a rate of about 3.0 miles per hour is a good starting point. You can eventually work your way up to at least 4.0 miles per hour or spend a good portion of your walk going up hills, you can get your heart rate up sufficiently.

On days that the weather is not cooperative, you can do your walking on a treadmill. While the scenery is not as interesting, a treadmill will lower the impact on your joints as you step and will allow you to monitor your rate of speed. Exploring the different malls and making sure you walk as much as possible before or after shopping. It is possible to just look.

Step Aerobics:

Average calories burned: 375/hour at a leisurely pace, or 600/hour with a high-intensity session

Step aerobics was very popular in the 80’s and 90’s with Jane Fonda and other celebs promoting aerobics but has since tapered off a bit. However, this is one of the best ways for newbies to transition from couch blobs to fitness stars in the privacy of the home. You can use a step aerobics video to get the hang of the different steps and can then improvise your own workout while watching TV. Using a stepper is a quiet activity that requires very little room in your home.

If you spend just a half-hour a day slowly stepping while watching your favorite sitcom, you could burn an extra 1,300 calories a week and lose two pounds a month. Doing this activity faster, more intensely or for longer periods of time will have an even greater impact.

Elliptical Trainers:

Average calories burned: 425/hour when moving at a slow, comfortable pace or 600/hour at a brisk pace

Elliptical trainers are a great choice for beginners, as you can start off slow and work your way up to expert fitness levels all on the same machine. Elliptical trainers are some of the most popular cardio-fitness machines at the gym with good reason. These machines work both your upper and lower body while providing a low-impact workout. You can vary your workout by going forward or backward on them. Most people find these machines intuitive to use and easy to stay on for long periods of time.

Stairs: Average is around 12 calories a minute

Whether you use a stair machine or just walk up and down the stairs of your office or condo is an awesome way to mix things up and turn it up a notch.

Being healthy will save moiney on health insurance, life insurance, improve your moiod and just make life much fuller and more fun.